1. Field of the Invention
This invention involves a door used for closing an opening inside an aircraft.
2. Discussion of the Background
Inside an aircraft, there are several doors that open up into the cabin. First of all, there is the door separating the cabin from the cockpit. This is a somewhat special door. Indeed, following the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks, this door has been reinforced in all planes to withstand, among other, bullets and prevent access to all unauthorized people.
There are also doors to access different spaces: toilets, kitchen, etc. These rooms are usually ventilated and to avoid creating excess pressure, means must be provided to let the air exit the space.
This invention also involves a door that, at the time of filing this application, does not exist in aircraft in service. In certain aircraft, such as long haul aircraft, the door of the cockpit is located at the end of an aisle that leads to a space used essentially by navigating personnel and where, in general, the toilets are located. Some airline companies accept that these toilets be used by passengers. In some planes, this aisle may be closed off by a second door on the cabin side. Such a door would then create a private space behind the cockpit reserved for navigating personnel. With such a door being present, access to toilets located there would then be prohibited to passengers. Such a door also forms a visual barrier preventing passengers from seeing the cockpit door. This permits increasing security at the cockpit level. Indeed, even if this cockpit door is reinforced, when a crew member enters or leaves the cockpit, this door is open, thus providing free access to an intruder who might take advantage of the opening of this door.
The aeronautical construction codes provide that the cockpit door must open automatically when a depression occurs inside the cockpit or cabin. As such, pressures can equalize on both sides of the cockpit door, thus preventing an excessively high stress on the aircraft structure.